New York Mets slugger and two-time winner Pete Alonso joined Philadelphia designated hitter Kyle Schwarber in electing to skip the Home Run Derby.

Alonso and the Mets will close out the first half with two three-game sets on the road: one against the Baltimore Orioles that starts on Tuesday, and then the other against the Kansas City Royals.

This article was originally published on www.si.com as Mets Fans Will Love Pete Alonso’s Reason for Turning Down Home Run Derby Invite. The New York Mets have not been playing their best baseball as of late, but they're in the heat of the NL East race as the All-Star break quickly approaches.